Drizzt Lifts Things

[rose]

I think the Jville gym has overall better technique :shock:

Jville was always deemed progessive innit. I grew up there, yep, cheers for that :grin:

battle scars worn proudly 8)

8) 8) 8)

[drizzt]

Jville was always deemed progessive innit. I grew up there, yep, cheers for that :grin:

Indeed 8) Although I think Paparangi and/or Newlands list themselves as "The Progressive Suburb(s)" don't they? :pfft: Makes me laugh because I interpret it as them saying: "OK, we aren't that great, but we're getting there"

Workout B

91~something today, lost a bit after being a tad crook lately. Meant to be a deload week but am feeling so good I'm not wanting to take my foot off the pedal too much. I have been backing off the reps/volume, and in some cases weight too, but trying to keep the work up while I'm feeling onto it.

• Deads
  5 x 100kg
  2 x 140kg
  3 x 165kg
  3 x 165kg
  2 x 175kg
  3 x 140kg
  
• Hack Squats (machine) (weight in plates only)
  10 x 40kg
  6 x 60kg
  6 x 80kg PB
  6 x 100kg PB
  
• OHP
  5 x 60kg
  3 x 70kg
  3 x 70kg
  3 x 70kg
  
• Wide Pullups
  3 x +20kg
  3 x +20kg
  3 x +20kg
  

Comments

• Deads were good, was meant to top out at 3 x 165 but felt good enough to pop the extra 5s on. Was gonna hit a single @ 175 but it flew up pretty easy, so knocked out another for good measure. Probably could've gone heavier, but stopped myself as I a) don't want to tempt another injury, and b) want to save the big weights for later. Will be hoping to get at least a single @ 200kg by the time Rugby season starts (6 weekends away I think).
  
• Chucked Hack Squats in in place of Front squats, due to them not being in the program this week, and wanting to calm a bit on the bar squats for this week too. The Hacks have improved hugely since the last time I attempted them. It must have something to do with front squatting once per week :nod: Previous biggest attempt was 60kg which I could get around 5-6 reps on, but 80kg, and then 100kg felt incredibly easy - I had to stop myself from piling more on after 100kg went up for 6 pretty easy reps. Form was just below parallel on all reps, with a fairly narrow-ish stance (which was due to the machine having a fairly small base, not a choice of mine)
  
• OHP was clean and easy, no cheating with leg drive or anything this time. Nuff said.
  
• Pullups were alright, tried to explode out of the bottom semi-successfully. All 9 reps went up pretty comfortably (was scheduled to do 3 x +5, 3 x +10 and 3 x +15). Will probably up this 2-5kg next week.
  

So considering I still feel a bit under the weather (had to cancel my plasma donation for tomorrow ) I think it was a pretty successful workout. Love doing hacks and love seeing them move up quite a bit since I last did them.

Also overall, I think I've surpassed my strength from late last year (where IMHO it was pretty good during my cut) in every aspect - namely Bench, Squats and OHP. Deadlifts are there or thereabouts, I think I was almost touching 200 last year, however I don't think I could pull that at the moment if I'm being honest. That's ok though, it'll get there soon.

Probably boxing tonight, but one partner is in Oz and the other may be otherwise occupied tonight :roll: So we shall see. Maybe a good excuse to rest, as I think I've done something exercise-wise almost every day for the past 3 weeks... we'll see.

[drizzt]

Cardio/Conditioning

Yesterday (instead of boxing due to no partners) I SHIITd for the first time in quite a while.

3 sets up the LLH as fast as I could go (which was getting to be not much faster than a jog by the 3rd set after doing quads earlier in the day :pfft:), run around the block straight after the 3rd set, and then one more set going up at a slow jogging pace when I got back to the stairs (hitting every step). Found SHIIT is quite hard to get back into if you've been out for a while! Hope to get one session in at least per week now if possible.

Today, had Rugby training. This was awesome because we finally got back into some contact \:D/ Great to smash into some pads/smash others with pads :grin: Then quite a bit of running (honestly, I think it's what our coaches make us do when they're out of ideas :pfft:). It's ok though as I don't do enough simple running by myself, which is really a fair part of Rugby so I don't mind them making us do it. I can do the "harder" stuff outside of trainings First pre-season game is next weekend, can't wait!

[Chillicat]

I SHIITd for the first time in quite a while.

:pfft: That never stops being funny :pfft:

[teamfatboy]

Found SHIIT is quite hard to get back into if you've been out for a while!

Yep, definitely true... but worth it - keep it up!

Rugby training. This was awesome because we finally got back into some contact \:D/ Great to smash others :grin:

For me that's just a typical day in the office... I call it "kinetic counselling" :pfft:

[drizzt]

Thanks guys, SHIIT will never get stale.

Workout A

Bang on 95kg today \:D/ Feeling quite bloated at the moment though (can still see abs though! ), so I've no doubt a fair chunk of the 6-7kg I've put on in a few weeks has been from creatine bloat Been drinking water like I'm dehydrated all day, actually find myself craving it at times haha. Diet still hasn't changed much at all, in fact, IMHO it is still very close to - if not a few hundred cals under - my daily maintenance.

The creatine intake is also coinciding with a great jump in the weights of all of my lifts, so I've no doubt along with the bloat/fat I've put on, there is some good muscle getting on there. And the cardio-fitness is still up there as some of the best I've been at, so incredibly happy with where I'm at currently.

Will be interesting when I cycle the creatine off in a couple of weeks though... :think: Enough rambling!

• Squats
  Bar/60kg warmups + stretches
  5 x 100kg
  3 x 110kg
  3 x 120kg
  3 x 130kg
  5 x 130kg
  
• Incline DB Bench
  8 x 30kg
  5 x 40kg
  5 x 45kg
  5 x 51kg
  
• Power Cleans
  5 x 60kg
  3 x 70kg
  3 x 70kg
  5 x 70kg
  
• Good Mornings
  8 x 40kg
  6 x 50kg
  5 x 60kg
  

Comments

• Incredible squatting session, just felt like I could've stacked another 20 on each side and still have been comfortable under it 8) Resisted shifting the weights up though, and just tacked a couple extra reps on to the final set. All reps ATG.
  
• The incline Barbell bench was out of order, so this forced me onto the Dumbbell presses (didn't want to use the Smith :naughty: ) which was fine as I haven't worked DBs in a while. These went up really clean with very short rests in between sets. Intended to hit just 45s at the top set, but couldn't resist giving the 51s a crack. First time in quite a while that I've hit ~50s on this, and form was great. Last rep of the final set was a tad sketchy depth-wise, but I'd give it a pass :shifty:
  
• Power cleans were the cleanest (pun unintended) I've ever hit. 70 felt like childs play, really could've pushed this up, but again, I resisted in favour of just adding a couple of reps like I did on squats. I'm getting really confident with the clean up to the chest in particular which was a bit of a sticking point for me in the past. Wrist flexibility is improving too which has helped a lot.
  
• Good mornings were probably the low of the workout, I'm not comfortable with a lot of it, in particular the bar postitioning. I'm not sure where to put the damned thing! Too high and it digs into the neck, too low and it rolls up to my neck anyway! I don't do these enough which wouldn't be helping things, so I'll stick at it, maybe watch some vids for tips or something.

All in all, fantastic workout, one of the best I've had in recent memory :grin: Squats in particular are probably the best they've ever been from a form AND weight standpoint - often in the past the form has deteriorated as the weight has gone up, but this hasn't been the case since I've started correcting my technique.

Starting this weekend I'm moving the workouts back a day to Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday. This is because getting into Rugby season I don't want to be working out the day before a game. Tradeoff here obviously is I may be a bit banged up come the Sunday session, so this shift in days may or may not be kept around. My thoughts on it are that I'd rather work hard throughout the week, and rest up the day before a game which I'm hoping will leave me recharged come Saturday arvo. I guess I'll find out how it's gonna go next weekend! :nod:

So it'll be workout B + tyres session on Sunday

[drizzt]

21/02/10 - Workout B

Back down to 93 today, probably the dancing (or just bobbing around :pfft:) in the heat at homegrown yesterday.

• Squats
  Bar/60kg warmups, stretches
  5 x 100kg
  3 x 110kg
  2 x 120kg
  3 x 130kg
  3 x 135kg
  3 x 135kg
  
• OHP
  Bar warmups
  5 x 60kg
  3 x 75kg
  3 x 75kg
  3 x 75kg
  
• Rack Pulls
  10 x 100kg
  10 x 140kg
  8 x 160kg
  8 x 180kg
  
• Pullups
  3 x +20kg
  3 x +20kg
  3 x +20kg
  

Comments

• Squats were good, pretty easy. Can see a wall coming up not far off, but technique is sticking well and 135 was still very comfortable.
  
• OHP was good, form was pretty good on the 75s.
  
• Rack Pulls were tricky. I was at Jville and one of their safety bars in the power rack was missing :roll: So I had to stand in the squat rack on those plastic stepup things! 3 of those base things plus the wide base bit only got me to a slightly above knee height bar position which sucked, but ah well. I upped the volume more than intended because of it. They were fairly easy but it was good to get this amount of weight in my hands and lock it out.
  
• Pullups were harder than I remembered, couldn't get any on the wide-wide grip at +20 :-s So moved the grip in a bit, little wider than shoulder width but not quite as wide as I usually put on, and managed to get 3x3 @ +20 quite cleanly.
  

Finished up with tyres. Great day for it. Did the following 4 times:

10 x flips with the biggest tyre

Farmers walk 100meters with medium sized tyres

Tyre carry with a medium sized tyre 100meters

Tyre drags with a medium tyre 100meters

Rested for about 1 minute between sets so it was quite high intensity. Threw in 4 extra flips on the final set, but was nearing my limit! Had 3 mates with me too so we were able to rotate the stations. Also finished off with 10 sprints up some stairs - the stairs probably had about 30-40 total.

Good day in all, gorgeous weather. Time to relax 8)

[Chillicat]

Was that you squatting away at J'ville today around 1pm? If it's you, I was the one on the other side of the man cave, green t-shirt, and pony tail (only female there at the time - kept popping over to the squat rack side to pick up and drop off weights). If it's not you, I was still the one in the green t-shirt and pony tail, but it's kind of irrelevant! Didn't say hi, as I might still have the wrong person and would feel like too much of a tit to say 'Hi are you Drizzt' (which I'm not entirely sure I can even pronounce ) if it's not you! If it was you you, I now have a positive ID and will say hello in future.

[drizzt]

Was that you squatting away at J'ville today around 1pm? If it's you, I was the one on the other side of the man cave, green t-shirt, and pony tail (only female there at the time - kept popping over to the squat rack side to pick up and drop off weights). If it's not you, I was still the one in the green t-shirt and pony tail, but it's kind of irrelevant! Didn't say hi, as I might still have the wrong person and would feel like too much of a tit to say 'Hi are you Drizzt' (which I'm not entirely sure I can even pronounce ) if it's not you! If it was you you, I now have a positive ID and will say hello in future.

Haha, yep, that was indeed me, pretty much rolled out of bed and straight into it. Would've gone to Bodyworks but had to go up the road quite quickly after for the tyres session, so kept local. I remember you popping into the squat/bench room a couple times, thought you were wanting to jump on my squat rack so I felt a little bad about hogging it for squats, OHP and then Rack Pulls :oops:

Yep, come say hi next time (Drizzt is pronounced drits )

[Chillicat]

I remember you popping into the squat/bench room a couple times, thought you were wanting to jump on my squat rack so I felt a little bad about hogging it for squats, OHP and then Rack Pulls :oops:

Yep, come say hi next time (Drizzt is pronounced drits )

Haha no worries - it was the first time I'd done any oly bar work (except bench press) at J'ville, so was feeling a bit lost and unsure of where to do my bent over rows, so I was probably looking a bit vacant (and grumpy due to rude brother in law, but that's another story!). Ended up warming up with those ready made bars, but the heaviest I could find was 35kg :roll: - but lucky for me there is that rack over the other side that worked fine for bent over rows. Hate using new stuff at a different gym for the first time!

[Pseudonym]

Drizzt is pronounced drits

Eh? How does that work?! Is that like "ask" being pronounced "aks"?

I'm sorry, I can't get me head around that one. You'll always be "drist" to me.

[Chillicat]

Drizzt is pronounced drits

Eh? How does that work?! Is that like "ask" being pronounced "aks"?

I'm sorry, I can't get me head around that one. You'll always be "drist" to me.

That's exactly what I thought!

[teamfatboy]

The Germans, f'rinstance, pronounce a Zed like a TS, so 10 (Zehn) is pronounced 'tsehn'.... and 13 (Dreizehn) is dry-tsehn...

Now this may have nowt at all to do with anything, just the long-dormant linguist in me waking up!

[drizzt]

Heh, I guess it's kinda like the "t" sound in Pizza (and how Z's are inflected in Italian I believe). Nobody says "pee-za", it's more "peet-za". The Z's in Drizzt are the same, and the T on the end is to emphasize it

Not that Drizzt has Italian origins or anything (he's a fantastical character :pfft:)

[Chillicat]

Nobody says "pee-za"

Except my Nana who, despite many years of travelling all over the world, seems to think there is no other language but English and that all words must therefore be pronounced as though they were English

[Pseudonym]

Oh, so it rhymes with "blitzed" rather than "pissed"? It's a subtle difference, but I see what you mean now.

[drizzt]

Oh, so it rhymes with "blitzed" rather than "pissed"? It's a subtle difference, but I see what you mean now.

:nod:

[drizzt]

Workout A

Back up to 94.5 today, going up and down like a yo-yo! Very tired before this session, so took a HTFU coffee beforehand and headed for some big lifting 8)

• BB Bench
  5 x 70kg
  2 x 100kg
  3 x 120kg
  3 x 125kg
  3 x 110kg
  5 x 100kg
  
• Front Squats
  Stretching/bar warmups
  5 x 60kg
  5 x 80kg
  2 x 90kg
  3 x 100kg PB
  
• Power Cleans
  Hang clean warmups with bar
  5 x 60kg
  3 x 70kg
  3 x 75kg
  3 x 80kg PB
  
• Dips
  Bodyweight warmups
  3 x +55kg
  3 x +60kg
  1 x +65kg*** PB
  

Comments

• Bench was fantastic, was tempted to shoot for 130 but 125 drained me a bit. All reps touched, final rep on 125 was VERY sloppy/uneven, but I did touch, had a bit of a sticking point on the way up but managed to just push through it and rack. Probably shouldn't have gone for the final rep without a spotter, but it came off :pray: This is the biggest weight I've benched in a couple of years I believe (don't think I hit it last year, and if I did, it wouldn't have been for 3 reps). Twinged my mid-back a little on the 120s, but it feels ok now.
  
• Front squats felt really clean, so decided to head for a PB and it came off very well. All reps were sitting on my calves - had to adjust the safetys after the first set as I was hitting them - and the grip felt good too. Twinged my right inner-quad muscle (by the knee?) heading down on the 80s, but it didn't prove to be too troublesome in the latter reps/sets. Very happy to hit triple figures in front squats :nod:
  
• Another PB here on Power Cleans, I think this exercise is improving quickly because I've begun to nail the technique. 80 was incredibly tough though, so I think I'll slow the increases from here on.
  
• DIPS - very eventful day at the dip station :pfft: First two sets went up really easily (had to keep shortening the chain as the DB was hitting the ground at the bottom of the rep - but it still had to be long enough to "fit" comfortably on me...) so decided to shoot for 65 - the biggest DB in Bodyworks :pray: Begun fantastically - weight was a little uncomfortable but was manageable - hit the bottom of the rep, DB scraping the ground ever-so-slightly, good depth - had gone all the way down getting as horizontal as possible - exploded up to the top... and SNAP went the belt I was using :oops: I didn't know whether to be embarrassed at the ruckus I had just made (glad I wasn't using plates or it'd have been chaos), or annoyed that I wouldn't get to do anymore reps! (I went for embarrassed :oops: :oops:) Feel I had 2 more in the tank Looked at the belt afterwards and it was a clean "snap" in the belt too, not a tear from the links or anything... Ah well, PB all the same (had never attempted more than 60), very disappointed I couldn't have repped more out though, and will need to find a new way to load up my lifts :pfft:

So, great day in the office! I'm hitting the business end of my routine and should keep increasing for the next couple of weeks before backing off again around when Rugby competition starts. Will try to keep increasing the weights through Rugby season - the backing off at the start of the season is more coincidence than anything planned - but we'll see how that goes and how the body mixes the contact of Rugby with the growth demands from the gym :think:

[drizzt]

Workout A

Back up to 94.5 today, going up and down like a yo-yo! Very tired before this session, so took a HTFU coffee beforehand and headed for some big lifting 8)

• BB Bench
  5 x 70kg
  2 x 100kg
  3 x 120kg
  3 x 125kg
  3 x 110kg
  5 x 100kg
  
• Front Squats
  Stretching/bar warmups
  5 x 60kg
  5 x 80kg
  2 x 90kg
  3 x 100kg PB
  
• Power Cleans
  Hang clean warmups with bar
  5 x 60kg
  3 x 70kg
  3 x 75kg
  3 x 80kg PB
  
• Dips
  3 x +55kg
  3 x +60kg =PB
  1 x +65kg*** PB
  

Comments

• Bench was fantastic, was tempted to shoot for 130 but 125 drained me a bit. All reps touched, final rep on 125 was VERY sloppy/uneven, but I did touch, had a bit of a sticking point on the way up but managed to just push through it and rack. Probably shouldn't have gone for the final rep without a spotter, but it came off :pray: This is the biggest weight I've benched in a couple of years I believe (don't think I hit it last year, and if I did, it wouldn't have been for 3 reps). Twinged my mid-back a little on the 120s, but it feels ok now.
  
• Front squats felt really clean, so decided to head for a PB and it came off very well. All reps were sitting on my calves - had to adjust the safetys after the first set as I was hitting them - and the grip felt good too. Twinged my right inner-quad muscle (by the knee?) heading down on the 80s, but it didn't prove to be too troublesome in the latter reps/sets. Very happy to hit triple figures in front squats :nod:
  
• Another PB here on Power Cleans, I think this exercise is improving quickly because I've begun to nail the technique. 80 was incredibly tough though, so I think I'll slow the increases from here on.
  
• DIPS - very eventful day at the dip station :pfft: First two sets went up really easily (had to keep shortening the chain as the DB was hitting the ground at the bottom of the rep - but it still had to be long enough to "fit" comfortably on me...) so decided to shoot for 65 - the biggest DB in Bodyworks :pray: Begun fantastically - weight was a little uncomfortable but was manageable - hit the bottom of the rep, DB scraping the ground ever-so-slightly, good depth - had gone all the way down getting as horizontal as possible - exploded up to the top... and SNAP went the belt I was using :oops: I didn't know whether to be embarrassed at the ruckus I had just made (glad I wasn't using plates or it'd have been chaos), or annoyed that I wouldn't get to do anymore reps! (I went for embarrassed :oops: :oops:) Feel I had 2 more in the tank Looked at the belt afterwards and it was a clean "snap" in the belt too, not a tear from the links or anything... Ah well, PB all the same (had never attempted more than 60), very disappointed I couldn't have repped more out though, and will need to find a new way to load up my lifts :pfft:

So, great day in the office! I'm hitting the business end of my routine and should keep increasing for the next couple of weeks before backing off again around when Rugby competition starts. Will try to keep increasing the weights through Rugby season - the backing off at the start of the season is more coincidence than anything planned - but we'll see how that goes and how the body mixes the contact of Rugby with the growth demands from the gym :think:

[Big john]

that coffee did you some wonders bro :pfft: grats on the PBs! gutted about the dips thou....always nxt time :grin:

[drizzt]

Cheers mate.

gutted about the dips thou....always nxt time :grin:

Heh, won't be a next time if I can't sort another belt! :pfft: May have to do my dips at the other gym from now on. I like their dip station/belt better than bodyworks anyways...

[Chillicat]

May have to do my dips at the other gym from now on. I like their dip station/belt better than bodyworks anyways...

Where is the dip station at Bodyworks? I've used the one at J'ville, but other than the assisted dip machines, I haven't seen any. Do you just use the assisted with the knee pad thingy down? Or is there an actual non-machine dip station I've just never seen?

[drizzt]

Where is the dip station at Bodyworks? I've used the one at J'ville, but other than the assisted dip machines, I haven't seen any. Do you just use the assisted with the knee pad thingy down? Or is there an actual non-machine dip station I've just never seen?

Yeah I just use the assisted dip machine with the pad folded down out of the way. Its annoying because I can't get myself as far horizontal/forward as I'd like to at Bodyworks (and can at Jville on the proper dip station) because the "Instructional sign" thingy is in the space where my head should be dipping into :doh: Jville's dip station also has the handles/poles going out at angles, rather than parallel, which I feel puts slightly less empahsis on the tris (unless you turn and do them facing the other way) so you can target the chest better.

It's good enough, but it is one of the few things I feel lets Bodyworks down (albeit a small thing) - I reckon they should get rid of one of the assisted ones and put a dedicated dip station there :pray:

[drizzt]

Workout B

94 flat today. Also had Jack3d before the workout, WOW. I'm a believer :pray: Came on a bit slowly, but once it was in effect I was just in a rush to do everything! Energy jumped up, felt a tingle in my hands (and ear lobes :pfft:), and everything was going at 100mph. I get the references to a mild form of P now :nod: Anyway, onto some more big weights:

• Deadlifts
  5 x 100kg
  5 x 140kg
  3 x 160kg
  1 x 190kg
  2 x 200kg
  1 x 205kg \:D/
  5 x 140kg (sumo)
  5 x 100kg (sumo)
  
• OHP
  5 x 60kg
  3 x 70kg
  3 x 80kg PB
  3 x 80kg =PB
  3 x 80kg =PB
  
• Squats
  5 x 80kg
  10 x 100kg
  10 x 100kg
  12 x 100kg
  
• Wide Pullups
  12 x bodyweight
  6 x bodyweight (negatives)
  6 x bodyweight (negatives)
  

Comments

• Deads were amazing, the buzz from Jack3d was probably at it's peak here. I was having really short rests between sets - we're talking 30seconds usually, or the time it'd take to load/unload plates then straight into it. Was meant to hit 170kg x 3 at the top set, but a) 160kg flew up which gave me confidence, and b) I was inspired by Big John's attempts/PB in his log 190kg went up fairly easily (double bodyweight), 200kg went up like peanuts, 205kg was a challenge, but got there and didn't stall at any point. I think 210kg can be reached next week, and 220kg (my PB) is on the near horizon :nod: Very happy with where this is at currently - no belt or wraps or anything either, just chalk. Actually, had one guy ask if I wanted to use his wraps... "No thanks" was the polite reply 8) Also as an aside - haven't hit 200kg for a few years, so very happy to be back at that level, probably 15kg lighter than when I last hit it.
  
• OHP was incredibly clean, new PB of 80kg (never attempted it before). Reps were very strict, decided to cut the leg drive out and just drive up with the arms/shoulders. Would pause on the chest and push it up to lockout, with a slow descent on the way back.
  
• Squats - I was a bit buggered at this point, so decided to treat today as a bit of a deload/light day for squats. Hence the sets of 10/12 at 100kg. Found it surprisingly challenging after rep 5 - obviously the body is used to low reps, so was a shock to it going over and above that. Can only be good though :nod: Will be shooting for 140kg on Sunday
  
• Pullups! I was meant to do weighted reps, but errr, after breaking the only weighted belt in the gym (sorry fellow Bodyworkers :oops:) I was forced to do bodyweight reps with as wide a grip as possible. After getting 12 fairly easily (which is a bodyweight PB btw), I decided to back off to negatives for the remaining sets. Got 6 in a row with a very slow descent on the first set of negs, but pieced the last set together with 3, quick rest, 2, quick rest, 1 = failure. Good for a change, like the squats I reckon.
  

So, great workout! Can't wait until Sunday, some more PBs shouuld fall 8) (body condition after first rugby game permitting :pfft:)

[Big john]

pbs out the wazzzooooo! wtg bro! awsome stuff :clap: \:D/ :clap: